42 women and children handed over from India via Benapole

Forty two Bangladeshi women and children have returned to the country from India after serving varying jail sentences.

Kamruz Zaman Biswas, officer-in-charge of Benapole International Checkpost Immigration Police, said that they entered Bangladesh through Benapole Checkpost on Friday (November 24) evening, using a special travel permit.

"They were in the custody of 12 shelter homes in West Bengal, including Kisholaya, Navyatra, and Dhruvasram, after serving various terms for crimes such as trespassing into India," he said.

The Petrapole Immigration Police Authority of India handed them over to Benapole Checkpost Immigration Police.

One of the women, Rubina Khatun (pseudonym), said that they went to India on the border route through brokers after being enticed by job opportunities.

"There are many such people. They were detained by the police on charges of trespassing when they went to India. Later, the court sentenced them to various punishments. After the sentence, various human rights organizations in Kolkata took them into the custody of shelter homes," she said.

After joint efforts between the two countries, arrangements were made to repatriate these women.

Bangladeshi women returning on special travel permits from the Government of India are handed over to Benapole Port Police Station after immigration formalities.

Non-governmental organization Rights Jessore and Bangladesh Jatiyo Mahila Ainjibi Samity will hand over the women and children to their families, as mentioned by the police.

Taufiq Hossain, senior program officer of Rights Jessore, said, "Their families will be contacted, and they will be handed over to their relatives."